The instant invention relates to ornamental jewelry, and more particularly to a rack assembly which is adapted to be used in plating and/or displaying pierced earrings and which is also adapted to be alternatively worn as a composite earring assembly.
It has been found that the assembly and disassembly steps associated with plating ornamental jewelry items and then packaging them for retail display often add considerably to the overall manufacturing costs of such items. In this regard, the procedures heretofore utilized for manufacturing pierced earrings have often included the steps of assembling a plurality of earrings on a relatively large plating rack, plating the earrings in an electroplating solution, disassembling the earrings from the plating rack and then assembling the earrings on display cards. Because the steps of assembling earrings on a plating rack, disassembling them from a plating rack and then assembling them on display cards are both time consuming and tedious, these steps have been found to add significantly to the overall costs of manufacturing pierced earrings.
The instant invention provides an effective frame assembly which is operable for eliminating several of the steps included in the heretofore known procedures for electroplating and packaging pierced earrings. More specifically, the instant invention provides a frame member which can be effectively assembled with one or more pairs of pierced earrings for supporting the earrings during an electroplating process and for thereafter displaying the earrings in a retail display. Still more specifically, the instant invention provides a frame assembly for supporting and displaying pierced earrings comprising a frame member which includes a leg portion comprising at least one elongated narrow leg member, and a hanger member for suspending the frame member from a plating frame. The frame member and the hanger member are preferably made from an electrically conductive material, such as a suitable metal, to enable the frame member to be utilized for supporting earrings during an electroplating process. The leg portion has at least one pair of spaced apertures formed therein and it preferably comprises a pair of elongated narrow leg members which are disposed in spaced, substantially parallel relation and at least one of the apertures is preferably located in each of the leg members. The frame member preferably further includes upper and lower connecting members extending between the upper and lower ends of the leg members, respectively, and each of the leg members preferably has a plurality of spaced apertures therein. The frame assembly further comprises at least one pair of pierced earrings which is assembled so that the posts thereof are received in the apertures in the leg members for releasably securing the earrings on the frame member. The frame assembly preferably further comprises a plurality of pairs of earrings assembled on the leg members so that they are positioned in spaced relation in a substantially uniform array. The frame member is preferably integrally formed from a metal wire and the hanger element is preferably also formed from a metal wire so that it defines a hanging loop and the hanger element preferably has a reduced aperture therethrough for receiving an earring post in order to alternatively suspend the entire frame assembly from an earlobe of a wearer.
It has been found that the frame assembly of the instant invention can be effectively utilized for supporting a pair or a plurality of pairs of earrings during a plating process and for thereafter supporting the earrings in an attractive manner in a retail display. Specifically, it has been found that the frame member of the frame assembly can be effectively utilized for supporting a plurality of pairs of earrings on a plating rack during a plating process and that the frame member can also be utilized as an effective means for supporting a pair or plurality of pairs of earrings on a display rack in a retail display. Still further, the frame member provides a convenient and effective means of packaging a pair or a plurality of pairs of earrings in a group so that they can be effectively displayed and marketed as a composite unit. Even still further, the frame assembly of the instant invention is preferably adapted so that the entire assembly comprising the frame member and one or more pairs of earrings can be suspended from an earlobe of a wearer so that the entire assembly can be worn as a composite unit.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a frame assembly for use in plating and displaying pierced earrings.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a frame assembly which can be utilized for reducing the labor costs associated with plating and packaging pierced earrings.
An even still further object of the instant invention is to provide a frame assembly comprising a frame member and one or more pairs of pierced earrings wherein the frame member can be utilized for supporting the earrings during a plating process and for thereafter supporting the earrings in a display rack in a retail display.
An even still further object of the instant invention is to provide a frame assembly comprising one or more pairs of pierced earrings which can be suspended as a composite unit from an earlobe of a wearer.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.